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Call for 2018 WTS Annual Conference Poster Session Abstracts

WTS International invites you to submit a poster abstract for the 2018 Annual Conference in San Diego – Driving the Waves of Change. The conference will take place May 16 - 18, 2018. The event will bring together transportation professionals to share their experiences and insights on how they are making waves in this ever-evolving field.

Why San Diego? San Diego boasts a diverse economy supported by international trade, manufacturing, military, biotechnology, and tourism. Its mild and sunny year-round climate makes it an ideal location to foster a wide range of transportation sectors - rail, aviation, construction, freight, transit, and active transportation all play a vital role in the daily operation of this thriving coastal city. It also serves as a great place to discuss the future of transportation and the meaningful impact of women working in the field.

The following four tracks will serve as the foundation for all poster content at the conference:

Transportation is often described as the lifeblood of a city’s economy, without which it could not survive. Building resilience requires looking at the transportation system holistically and understanding the interdependencies and risks of individual pieces. Cities face numerous social, political, and physical infrastructure challenges - among them public safety, natural disasters, the health of the economy, security, energy, and constantly evolving

technology. Resilience represents a city’s capacity to grow, adapt, and transform in the face of such challenges while sustainability is how a city manages resources in a way that promotes welfare and equity for future generations (Brundtland Report). Strengthening the underlying transportation network, understanding potential stressors, and promoting meaningful collaboration among diverse stakeholders are some of the ways resilient and sustainable infrastructure may be achieved. Professionals must also explore the adequacy of standards, guidelines, best practices, and other tools used to develop and respond to the changing transportation network. This track will examine the different yet effective ways we plan, design, construct, maintain and operate our transportation networks while continually striving to become more resilient and sustainable for the future.

Funding and Policy for 21st Century Transportation

Funding transportation projects is becoming increasingly challenging as fewer federal dollars are available thereby shifting the burden to states, regions, and municipalities that may not have adequate resources to address critical mobility needs. The transition to our transportation future is characterized by mobility on demand and more integrated communication networks that are requiring public agency policy changes coupled with the need for increased private sector financing support. Agencies and organizations must be increasingly creative in funding projects and programs that directly benefit their communities. Major capital infrastructure

investments that require a heavy public investment may not be necessary as we look ahead at a connected and autonomous future, and transit as we know it will likely change to be more efficient, flexible, and cost effective to operate. This transition creates a significant opportunity for public-private partnerships that can reduce costs and expand transportation choices. This track showcases transportation infrastructure or programs that have leveraged innovative financing methods while forging strategic partnerships to create tangible benefits for communities.

A Shared, Electric, Connected, and Autonomous Transportation Future

Transportation technology is evolving at a rate faster than most of us can keep up with. On-demand ridesharing is offering more flexible ways of traveling while fulfilling a diverse set of mobility needs. Innovations in electric vehicle infrastructure and battery technology are pointing to a future of fast and wireless charging capabilities.

Technology companies, automakers, academic institutions, and public agencies are forging unique partnerships to test connected and autonomous vehicles in public rights of way. Public officials are demanding real-time data to assess the impact of technology on the mobility network and guide how transportation investments are deployed, managed, and maintained. The desire for more intuitive and seamless multi-modal trip planning and integrated payment options are driving enhanced user experiences. These innovative features, and more, are converging to create a shared, electric, connected, and autonomous future that will have tremendous effects on travel behavior. However, many questions remain unanswered. Will this evolution reduce the perceived need for personal vehicle ownership? How can mobility be enhanced for youth, seniors, and the differently-abled to ensure equity? How can cities meet climate goals by leveraging new technologies to foster a multimodal environment? How will the goods movement industry be affected? Breakout sessions could discuss research, initiatives, and pilot projects that create improvements, efficiencies, and mobility choices while identifying lessons learned and success factors.

The professional development track will provide attendees with strategies to practice mindful leadership, be conscious mentors, and encourage collaboration to better guide their organizations. Mindfulness and emotional intelligence have been linked to higher rates of success among professionals. Mentorship gives younger professionals a place to cultivate advanced skills while collaboration creates an educated workforce that can move an organization effectively toward its goals in this tech-dominated world. All encourage retention, active engagement, succession planning, and community within organizations. The Harvard Business Review recognizes mindfulness as a method to inspire professionals to be resilient and focused by removing the “auto-pilot” nature of one’s work and transforming it into a productive, innovative, and genuinely collaborative work life. Mindful leaders are better poised to be effective mentors and role models. Higher emotional intelligence allows professionals from all career stages and diverse industries to build and maintain relationships with colleagues and stakeholders, lead productive and resilient teams, and foster collaboration within their organizations. This track encourages submissions that offer interactive presentations and/or creative discussions to help attendees identify their professional strengths and untapped opportunities to foster work environments characterized by mindful leadership, mentorship, andcollaboration.